But Brown insists he has no desire to return to frontline politics despite his prominent role in the independence referendum campaign.

A source close to Brown said last night: “For the past four years, and on every occasion he has been asked, Mr Brown has made it clear he is not returning to frontline politics. That position has not changed.”

Brown’s decision means the contest to replace Johann Lamont looks set to come down to a two- horse race between MP Jim Murphy and MSP Neil Findlay.

Findlay, a left-winger and trade unionist, had hoped Brown would stand but is now likely to put his name forward.

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Yesterday, Labour MSPs met to discuss the chaos engulfing the party following Lamont’s decision to quit. She said theScottish party were being run as a “branch office” from London and branded some Westminster colleagues “dinosaurs”.

Lamont did not attend the tense meeting in Glasgow, which was chaired by interim leader Anas Sarwar. A similar meeting of Scottish MPs was held in Westminster last night.

Sarwar also revealed he will not stand for the leadership.

He said his crucial job in the interim period was to achieve “a Scottish Labour Party unified in purpose, stronger in will”.

Other Labour figures tipped as strong candidates, including MSPs Jenny Marra and Kezia Dugdale, have also ruled themselves out of the contest.Nominations for the post opened yesterday and will close on November 4.

The ballot, conducted under a complicated electoral college system, begins on November 17 and the leader will be announced on December 13.

Meanwhile, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls dismissed Lamont’s “branch office” claim. He said: “I understand she is resigning and in those moments you say those kinds of things.”